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A Boston Red Sox BlogSun, 02 Aug 2015 17:03:51 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Will Middlebrooks – At a Crossroadshttp://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/will-middlebrooks-at-a-crossroads.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=will-middlebrooks-at-a-crossroads
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Where does Will Middlebrooks stand on the Red Sox roster? Right now, it is hard to say. But with two free agents among the 2013 infield regulars, his status is definitely important.

A year ago at this time, the 25-year-old was projected as the Sox' regular third baseman. But partly becacuse of injuries and partly because of a "sophomore jinx", things this winter are not so clear.

No one can deny that Middlebrooks has the tools. A three-sport star in high school in Texarkana, Texas, he pitched and played shortstop, leading his team to the 3A state championship as a junior. The following year, he hit .555 with a 90 mph fastball and won several state honors. In football, he played quarterback, punted and placekicked. He committed to Texas A & M for baseball and football, but after the Sox drafted him as a position player, he decided to forego college.

Middlebrooks' minor league career started a bit slowly, as he transitioned from short to third. He began to blossom as a hitter at AA Portland in 2011, batting .306 with with 18 homers and 80 rbi's. Heading into 2012, Baseball America rated him as Boston's best prospect. When he started hot at Pawtucket, Middlebrooks was called up and soon won the third base job. One of the few bright spots in a sad season, he hit .326 with 34 rbi's in his first 41 games, the most to start a career on the Sox since 1950. His season would end on August 10 when he broke a bone in his right hand. Still, his rookie stats were impressive-.288, 15 homers, 54 ribbies.

The Townies' great start in 2013 did not involve Middlebrooks, however. He did have a three-homer game in April at Toronto, but as he battled a back injury, his average stayed in the low .200's. By late June he was down to .192 and back in Pawtucket. He returned in August, but never really came back to form. He finished at .227, though he did show some power with 18 doubles and 17 homers. He was a starter in the ALDS, but was later benched in favor of Xander Bogearts.

This will be an important year for Middlebrooks. The Sox must face the possibility of losing Stephen Drew, Mike Napoli or both in the free agent market. Since he is a fine fielder and all-around athlete, he might fit in at either first or third. He seems to have a fine attitude, an important trait in John Farrell's dugout.

But which is the real Will Middlebrooks, the rookie flash of 2012 or the struggling hitter of 2013? Only time will tell.

In these new times of terror and vigilance we live in, it is always like a ray of light in the darkness when we hear and read accounts of heroic deeds such as Bostonians running towards the Marathon explosions rather than away from to help casualties, or Marathon runners continuing running two miles past the finish line to the nearest hospital to donate blood.

I was not expecting to see a reference to the Red Sox in Colbert's piece, but when it comes to violence and Boston sports, I could not help but be reminded of the Red Sox- Yankees rivalry and the violence it has spawned. in the past I have called for more peaceful relations between fans of the two times. If Youkilis and Chamberlain can play together on the same team, why certainly we fans can be civil, too. And so I found it heartening to see these memes pass by on my Facebook news feed this week:

Props to the Yankees and their fans and their concern for the people of Boston. Prayers and kind thoughts go out to blast casualties and survivors, their friends and families, and for all in the Boston/Watertown areas who are in a state of lock down until the loser is aprehended.

]]>http://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/ray-of-light-in-the-darkness.html/feed0Is It Time For Lester To Go?http://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/andrew-wild.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=andrew-wild
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With the Royals announcement that mega-prospect Will Myers is available to be traded, and because of the Royals previous interest in Lester it’s time to think about letting him go. Lester had a miserable 2012 season, setting career lows in ERA (4.82) and strikeouts (166) and at 28 he really should be in his prime. He has a good chance to bounce back to pre-2012 form but an upgrade from that is significantly unlikely. Will Myers is a top 5 prospect on every list and a prospect like that almost never is available for a trade. He has bounced back very nicely from an injury and transitioned into being an outfielder this season. Will Myers would be an excellent addition to a farm system that already has three players in the Top 40 prospects list. Myers can hit for power and walks at a great rate, although he still strikes out twice as often as he walks. I believe the Red Sox need to embrace a short rebuilding period, and this long term investment is a great move. And if Ben Cherington doesn’t want to give up on the season, the addition of Myers could free us up to move other prospects and players for R.A Dickey, who is likely to be traded according to sources. Although Lester was solid during some great periods for the Red Sox, he never developed into a bona-fide ace like he was supposed to, and has fared even worse during some darker periods. It looks like it’s time to pull the trigger and get a piece to the puzzle of our future.

Word is that the Red Sox and the Yankees have had a mini biding war over free agent Nick Swisher. Swisher is switch hitter who is listed as an outfielder, but can play most positions of the diamond. He’s coming off a season where he batted a bit above .270 and knocked in a five-year best 93 runs. He offers above average power, a good intuition for drawing walks, and has won the battle against age for a season. But over the course of the 4 year/$60 million contract the Red Sox are apparently offering, winning the war seems highly unlikely. Handing out $15 million a year to a player on the wrong side of his career is what led to the hole the Sox are currently in, not the kind of deal that warranted two World Series wins. According to Sabermetrics, a win above replacement is worth $5-5.5 million on the open market, so Swisher would have to remain at this level of productivity to get value out of the contract. And let’s be honest, the only thing worse than overpaid free agent is an overpaid former Yankee. Swisher’s true value would have to come out of his ability to play many positions on the field.

The Red Sox have a lot of holes in the lineup and Swisher could lineup at left or right field while they platoon the rest of the outfield until they find a permanent situation. . He doesn’t have a significant injury history, so that may lead the Red Sox to overestimate his value in the field. He has posted a negative Defensive Wins above Replacement every season of his career. So maybe they are looking at him to become a future replacement for David Ortiz at DH. When he becomes older he won’t be a great fill in at DH unless his power upgrades significantly. And at this point the Red Sox need to embrace the reality that they’re sellers and not buyers. The Red Sox need to go into a rebuilding phase, and handing out $60 million contracts to 32 year old is not a rebuilding plan. Swish is not the guy for the Sox right now.

Word is that the Red Sox and the Yankees have had a mini biding war over free agent Nick Swisher. Swisher is switch hitter who is listed as an outfielder, but can play most positions of the diamond. He’s coming off a season where he batted a bit above .270 and knocked in a five-year best 93 runs. He offers above average power, a good intuition for drawing walks, and has won the battle against age for a season. But over the course of the 4 year/$60 million contract the Red Sox are apparently offering, winning the war seems highly unlikely. Handing out $15 million a year to a player on the wrong side of his career is what led to the hole the Sox are currently in, not the kind of deal that warranted two World Series wins. According to Sabermetrics, a win above replacement is worth $5-5.5 million on the open market, so Swisher would have to remain at this level of productivity to get value out of the contract. And let’s be honest, the only thing worse than overpaid free agent is an overpaid former Yankee. Swisher’s true value would have to come out of his ability to play many positions on the field.

The Red Sox have a lot of holes in the lineup and Swisher could lineup at left or right field while they platoon the rest of the outfield until they find a permanent situation. . He doesn’t have a significant injury history, so that may lead the Red Sox to overestimate his value in the field. He has posted a negative Defensive Wins above Replacement every season of his career. So maybe they are looking at him to become a future replacement for David Ortiz at DH. When he becomes older he won’t be a great fill in at DH unless his power upgrades significantly. And at this point the Red Sox need to embrace the reality that they’re sellers and not buyers. The Red Sox need to go into a rebuilding phase, and handing out $60 million contracts to 32 year old is not a rebuilding plan. Swish is not the guy for the Sox right now.

The Red Sox have made their first move of the offseason and it is a head scratcher. The team has signed backup catcher David Ross to a 2-year $6.2 million contract. The Red Sox have Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Lavarnway as catchers so one of them will be going elsewhere via trade or in Lavarnway’s case, back to Pawtucket. Ross is a valuable addition behind the dish, especially as a defensive catcher. Now there may be some use for your Cody Ross jersey if he signs elsewhere although the number will likely be wrong.

]]>http://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/red-sox-sign-david-ross.html/feed0Red Sox Hot Stove Gets a Little Warmerhttp://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/red-sox-hot-stove-gets-a-little-warmer.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=red-sox-hot-stove-gets-a-little-warmer
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Ben Cherington has his work cut out for him to put together a competitive team this offseason. The manager is in place and so is most of the coaching staff; it was announced yesterday that Gary Tuck would remain as bullpen coach. The team will interview Rick Schu for the hitting coach position today. Now the focus turns to the players on the field.

Cody Ross, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Jose Iglesias have been getting most of the recent press. The Red Sox failed to sign Ross in the window where they had exclusive negotiating rights so now he is a free agent and he will test the open market making his return to Boston far from certain. As for Ellsbury, the Red Sox have said they are not looking to trade him this offseason though his agent Scott Boras has said the team has not entered into any negotions to extend his contract. Jose Iglesias appears to be the frontrunner to start at short next season, especially with Aviles gone.

With money to spend and lots of positions to fill this will likely be one of the busiest offseasons for the Red Sox in recent memory. The hot stove is just starting to heat up and should only get hotter from here.

]]>http://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/red-sox-hot-stove-gets-a-little-warmer.html/feed0Introducing Juan Nieveshttp://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/andrew-wild.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=andrew-wild
http://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/andrew-wild.html#commentsWed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000Still trying to recoil from the Valentine Disaster, the Red Sox have gone with another low-profile addition to the coaching staff. Juan Nieves has served the past five seasons with the Chicago White Sox as the bullpen coach. Nieves is a former pitcher, and although his career was short and mediocre for the most part, he threw a no-hitter, becoming the only Milwaukee Brewer to ever do so. He was also the second youngest pitcher to ever throw a no-hitter. Now John Farrel’s staff is only missing a hitting coach. Tino Martinez has been interviewed for the spot, but GM Ben Cherington has stated they are considering using two-men to fill the vacancy.
]]>http://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/andrew-wild.html/feed0The Red Sox Have a New Pitching Coachhttp://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/the-red-sox-have-a-new-pitching-coach.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-red-sox-have-a-new-pitching-coach
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The Red Sox announced that Juan Nieves will join John Farrell’s coaching staff as the new pitching coach. Nieves has never been a pitching coach in the majors but hid did spend five years as the White Sox bullpen coach. This will be the fourth pitching coach for the Red Sox in the last three years.

]]>http://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/the-red-sox-have-a-new-pitching-coach.html/feed0Sox 67 – Firing of Sal Magliehttp://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/sox-67-firing-of-sal-maglie.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sox-67-firing-of-sal-maglie
http://fenwaywest.com/2012-articles/sox-67-firing-of-sal-maglie.html#commentsWed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000In the late fall of 67, there weren’t many positive headlines in the Globe. 500,000 Americans were fighting in Vietnam, with no end in sight. Campuses were exploding everywhere. At Harvard, 245 protesters were placed on probation or given warnings for their part in “imprisoning” a campus recruiter in late October.

On the Red Sox front, the afterglow of the Impossible Dream season was marred by an incident involving Dick Williams and pitching coach Sal Maglie. Maglie, who had a 119-62 lifetime record with 5 teams in a 10-year career, was fired by Williams. Despite a big improvement in the Boston pitching staff, it had not been a good year for Maglie. His wife had died in an auto crash just before spring training. He and Williams had often clashed on pitcher selections. Shortly before his firing, Maglie himself was hospitalized following an accident. While recuperating, he learned from GM Dick O’Connell-with no word from Williams- that he had been replaced by Darrell Johnson, a former catcher.

Speaking of Johnson, Williams explained “He was MY choice.” This suggested that Maglie, who was in the midst of a two-year contract when Dick was hired, was not. Criticism of Williams abounded. Many of the manager’s moves during the season had been controversial, but most had worked out in the end. But there was a harsh and sometimes cruel side to Dick’s personality, and it was apparent here. Maglie, nicknamed “The Barber” because of a reputation for pitching inside, was no shrinking violet either. He blasted Williams for leaving Jim Lonborg in during the seventh game of the Series to absorb all 7 Cardinal runs. “It was obvious that Lonborg didn’t have it, Williams should have gotten him out sooner…it was a crime that he let a man who’d done such a great job for him all season take a pounding like that. It was degrading.” He later was quoted as saying “I’m not bitter toward the Red Sox, but I’m bitter toward Dick Williams. He hasn’t handled the situation like a gentleman.’ In future years, many players and writers would express similar feelings about the manager.

Dick tried to apologize for not talking to Maglie personally, but they did not wash. A Clif Keane column pointed out that it was one more example of front office mistakes regarding “holdover” coaches: “It sort of figured and it was due to the stupidity of Sox management. They’ve made the same mistake too many times, keeping men around who didn’t belong with the new show. Sal and Dick never should have been within miles of each other.

There were questions about whether a former catcher like Johnson would succeed as a pitching coach. His two-year stint with the Sox was not a particularly successful one; by 1969, the team’s ERA would balloon to 3.92, one of the worst in the league. Darrell would return as Sox skipper in the mid-70’s, but that is a story for another day.

Meanwhile, in a piece announcing Lonborg’s near-unanimous AL Cy Young Award selection, the Globe’s Ray Fitzgerald mentioned that Lonny would be spending some time in his native California. While there, Fitzgerald related, the “handsome bachelor” would appear on ABC “The Dating Game”. The piece did not mention any plans to go skiing.